Koudougou Koala's journey to U.S. not accidental

CHICO -- Growing up in Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in Africa, Koudougou Koala was one of 10 children born to his mother.

The town of 4,000 people has neither running water nor electricity, and people survive by farming.

Of his nine siblings, only Koala was able to attend school. At age 14, he was among very few of his town residents who were able to attend high school in a larger town.

A year later, he became a Christian, and his father disowned him, as his father was a leader within the town's spiritual community.

For the remainder of his childhood, Koala was essentially an orphan. His pastor took care of his tuition and books until he was 16.

He had "countless nights with no food," and every two years he left school to work to raise money for tuition.

"I made it step-by-step" through the university at Ouagadougou, the nation's capital.

His faith in God continued to be strong. At age 26, Koala prayed to God to "help him grow," and he saw a vision of himself in the airport in Burkina Faso, saying goodbye to a good friend before flying to the United States.

The idea of going to the U.S. appeared out of reach. But Koala believed God would help him. He began spending time at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library at the U.S. Embassy, slowly teaching himself English.

Along the way, Koala learned it was possible to become a student in the U.S. through a student visa, and applied to the American Language and Culture Institute at Chico State University, which teaches English to international students.

With some money from his uncle, he arrived in New York City with several hundred U.S. dollars. He made it across the country via bus, helped by several people.

When he arrived in Chico, he learned the money he had sent only covered the application fee.

After a few days, he met a woman named Estelle, who worked at Craig Hall, where he was staying. The two prayed together, and Estelle reached out to the City Light Church.

His first host family was Brian and Karen Horn in Hamilton City. Another church member gave Koala a bicycle.

Later, he lived with Brad and Evonne Holmberg in Chico, who he now refers to as his "U.S. mom and dad." Currently he is staying with Rendy and John Chase.

Over the years, many people have helped with tuition costs, and his hard work has earned him scholarships. He also now works part-time on campus and mows lawns on the weekends.

As for the future, Koala said he'll seek guidance from God for that.

"It's not accidental or random that God sent me here to this country," he said during a recent interview. "Therefore, he is the one in charge of deciding my future."